Volleyball Study Guide
THE COURT AND PLAYING POSITIONS
THE COURT AND PLAYING POSITIONS
THE GAME
1. There are six players on a regulation indoor volleyball team.
2. A player must serve from anywhere in the service area. This is behind the endline.
3. A serve is good if it touches the net and/or is touched by an opponent, no matter where it might have landed.
4. A foot fault is when the server steps over the service line during a serve.
5. Balls that land on the lines are considered in bounds or in play.
6. Players may NOT make contact with the opponents or fully step across the center line under the net, or touch the net.
7. A team has a MAXIMUM of three hits to return the ball over the net.
8. In regulation volleyball (6 players) players will rotate clockwise to serve after winning side out.
9. It is ILLEGAL to lift, push, or carry the volleyball.
10. Players must be in their correct positions upon serving the ball.
11. Blocking does not count as a hit: a player who partially blocks a ball may hit the ball immediately after.
12. Players may NOT contact the ball twice in a row.
13. Any time during the game if the ball hits the net and still goes over; the ball is still in play.
14. It is ILLEGAL to reach over the net except when blocking a spike or following through after spiking.
17. A volleyball match is won by winning the best 2 of 3 games.
18. The term sideout is used when a team loses the serve resulting in the other team earning a point.
VOLLEYBALL SCORING
In the rally Point scoring system, each rally wins a point whether it is for the serving or for the receiving team
VOLLEYBALL SKILLS
Ready position
Feet are shoulder width apart. Bend your knees so you are in a squatting position.
Make sure your toes are pointed forward, stay on the balls of your feet, and arms out.
Serve
A player stands behind the endline and serves the ball, in an attempt to drive it into the opponent's court. His or her main objective is to make it land inside the court. A serve is called an "ace" when the ball lands directly onto the court without any player touching it, or travels outside the court after being touched by an opponent.
Serving styles:
Overhead: a serve in which a player strikes the ball over the head.
Underhand: a serve in which the player strikes the ball below the waist instead of tossing it up and striking it with an overhand throwing motion. Underhand serves are considered very easy to receive and are rarely employed in high-level competitions
Forearm Pass
The forearm pass is the attempt by a team to properly handle the opponent's serve, or any form of attack. During the forearm pass the knees should be bent, hands should be together and a flat surface should be made to contact the ball.
Set
The set is usually the second contact that a team makes with the ball. The main goal of setting is to put the ball in the air in such a way that it can be driven by an attack into the opponent's court. Setting is done above the head, using the fingerpads to push the ball up into the air.
Spike
The attack, also known as the spike, is usually the third contact a team makes with the ball. The object of attacking is to handle the ball so that it lands on the opponent's court and cannot be defended. A player makes a series of steps (the "approach"), jumps, and swings at the ball.
Other Terms:
Block-is when a front row player attempts to stop the attack by jumping up with both hands above the net.
Dig- passing a spiked or hard hit ball
Timeout- is a break in action. Most rules allow for a team to call two of these per game.